The present disclosure relates to an apparatus that can generate data that may be used in a sewing machine in order to form cuts in a work cloth along a line indicating a shape of a specified pattern.
A sewing machine is known in which a cutting needle can be attached to a lower end of a needle bar, instead of a sewing needle. The cutting needle is a rod-like member having a sharp cutting edge on its leading end. The sewing machine may cause the cutting needle to move up and down by moving the needle bar up and down, in the same manner as when performing sewing, and repeatedly insert the cutting needle into a work cloth. The sewing machine may cut warp threads and weft threads of the work cloth using the cutting needle, and thereby form cuts in the work cloth. The sewing machine may cause an embroidery frame that holds the work cloth to move in synchronization with the up-down movement of the needle bar. By doing this, the sewing machine can form cuts in the work cloth along a line indicating a shape of a specified pattern.
A sewing machine is known in which two cutting needles can be attached to the lower ends of needle bars, respectively, in a state in which directions of cutting edges on the leading ends of the cutting needles are orthogonal to each other. One of the cutting needles may be attached to the needle bar in a state in which the direction of its cutting edge is orthogonal to a direction in which warp threads of a work cloth extend. The other cutting needle may be attached to the needle bar in a state in which the direction of its cutting edge is orthogonal to a direction in which weft threads of the work cloth extend. The sewing machine may cut the warp threads, using the one of the cutting needles. Then, the sewing machine may cut the weft threads, using the other of the cutting needles. By doing this, the sewing machine can form cuts in the work cloth.